Absorbent articles, such as taped diapers or pant diapers, for example, may be manufactured by a process where discrete articles, such as a chassis of a taped diaper or a pant diaper including a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core, for example, are applied to one or more moving webs of components, such as webs of front and rear belt portions, for example, using transfer members of transfer assemblies. Often, a speed at which the discrete articles are fed into the process on a first moving carrier member is not the same as a speed of a second moving carrier member on which the moving webs of components are situated. Thus, the speed of the discrete articles should generally be changed by the transfer assemblies to match, or closely match, the speed of the one or webs of components being conveyed over the second moving carrier member to properly apply or join the discrete articles to the one or more webs of components without adversely affecting the process or a finished product produced by the process. In some instances, the discrete articles may also need to be turned (e.g., about 90 degrees) and repitched by the transfer assemblies after pickup from the first moving carrier member and before placement onto the webs conveyed over the second moving carrier member. A transfer assembly may have a frame defining an axis and a plurality of transfer members rotating about the axis. During such rotation, the transfer members of the transfer assembly may move past the first moving carrier member to pick up the discrete articles and move past the second moving carrier member to drop off the discrete articles onto the one or more webs being conveyed thereover.
When the discrete articles are dropped off, they may be joined to the one or more webs. The pressure intermediate the transfer members or transfer surfaces thereof and the webs moving over the second carrier member may not be sufficient to fully and reliably bond, join, or attach the discrete articles to the webs. What is needed are apparatuses and methods that ensure full and reliable bonding, joining or attaching of the discrete articles to the webs being conveyed over the second carrier member.